Le Mora Malefica
by Ariella Jordan
Summary: Fate despises Horcruxes. They cheated her of one's Fate, but she allowed them. But for a person to make more than one was not allowed. So Fate teams up with her sister Time, and they send a mortal on a quest. As a Mora Malefica, Eleanor Sinclair is more than capable of dealing with an errant Dark Lord. In this, Ella learns more than knowledge,she learns a love that saves the world.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize. It's all JKR's. But anything else is mine.**

_Outside Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry grounds, August 29, 1995_

The ground approached faster than she had prepared for. Though she had traveled by portkey and apparation many times and was quite skilled in landing, this was different. She grasped her wand with a shaking hand as she looked warily around. Yes, this was quite different. If she was not mistaken, she had landed right outside Hogwarts grounds. She took a deep breath in and took a moment to remember steel blue eyes looking at her in resignation. She nearly gave into the temptation to kneel on the ground and cry till she had no more tears. She shook herself, she didn't have the time for that. She had to put the Plan into action. The lithe girl faded into the shadows of the night and quickly checked the satchel she had brought. Her Un-Detectable charm had worked perfectly. All was there. The girl quickly scanned the surrounding area. She waited silently for a fair few minutes, then grabbed the cloak resting on top. She needed it more for warmth than stealth at the moment. She could do stealth all by herself, Invisibility Cloak or not. She hoisted the bag across her body effortlessly. The weightless charm still worked too. _Fantastic._ the slim girl thought to herself as she glided down to Hogsmeade.  
oooOooo  
Madame Rosmerta had grown up among witches and wizards, plus a few mischievous siblings. So she could always tell when a magical person entered her surroundings. It was only understandable then that she dropped the glass she had been wiping when she half turned and caught sight of a figure watching her unexpectedly from a few paces away. Before she could blink, the witch had whipped out her wand and soundlessly returned the glass to the counter.  
"Excuse me, but I need a room for a few nights. I assume you are the one in charge of this establishment." The latter sentence was a statement, not a question. But the handsome Madame barely noticed that. It had taken Madame Rosmerta a few moments to realize that the imposing figure in front of her was a girl. She wasn't particularly tall either. It was her manner, the Madame decided.  
"I am. Do you have payment?" Madame Rosmerta was never so blunt with her patrons, but this was a mere girl. Fifteen, maybe. Rosmerta looked into oddly grey eyes and nearly changed her mind. Those eyes betrayed an old soul. Rosmerta always could see one's soul through their eyes. Tom Riddle's soul had always given her the creepy crawlies. Slightly softer, she added, "It's 15 Sickles per night."  
The girl merely produced a purse from somewhere on her person and counted out 30 Sickles. She slid them across the counter. "Is that satisfactory, Madame?"  
Rosmerta pursed her lips and nodded. She didn't know what to make of the figure in front of her. She was perfectly polite, her English clear though accented by a brogue that was similar to Professor McGonagall's. Yet, something was still making the Madame squirm. And if there was one thing the Madame didn't like, it would be things that made her squirm.  
"If I have to stay more than two nights, I'll let you know and pay in advance." The girl's tone was much warmer now. Madame Rosmerta looked up. A small smile graced the girls face, partially hidden under a heavy cloak's hood. It positively lit up the room, and though the Madame wasn't aware, it had warmed up the room by a degree or two. Madame Rosmerta straightened up a bit more and smiled back, nodding.  
Rosmerta skirted the counter and handed the girl a quill and slid a heavy book her way across the counter. "Just sign your name in here please. Thank you, and now your key is linked to your magical signature. No one else can enter your room now besides me."  
The key was ornate and small. Lithe fingers grasped it, and the Madame was graced with another small smile.  
"Thank you very much. Sometimes privacy is undervalued these days." Without the smile, the words would have sounded cold, but Madame Rosmerta merely dipped her head in acknowledgement of the subtle request.  
"Your room is on the second floor, two doors down on the left." Rosmerta wanted very much to find out more about the young stranger, but she settled for pulling the thick records book toward her and looking at the freshly penned name. She pondered what she saw as the cloaked girl made her way up the recently cleaned steps.  
_Eleanor Sinclair_.  
oooOooo  
Ella, as she preferred to be called, was currently warding her room. Age wise, she was a few weeks past fifteen. And yet she was doing magic far beyond the average middle aged witch. She wasn't concerned about it. Rather, she was inspecting the fireplace of the room, pleased to note the Floo powder beside it. It was far too late, or early depending on how one thought of it, for her to go to Diagon Alley.  
So she quickly set up her small room. She could have just camped out in the wilderness between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade in a far more spacious and comfortable atmosphere, but this was part of the Plan. Ella was sure Rosmerta had already sent Dumbledore an owl about her arrival. She had about until tomorrow afternoon until the man showed up. Ella was guessing three o'clock, but would be back by two just in case.  
She had a full day ahead of her, so she quickly readied herself for bed and slipped under the freshly laundered sheets. It smelled like Rosmerta had someone do them by hand. As she was accustomed, she slipped the hand holding her wand under her pillow and slowed her breathing. If any unlucky soul was skilled enough to get past her extensive wards and wake her, they would find themselves disarmed and bound before she really opened her eyes. With that comforting skill in mind, Eleanor Sinclair slipped into the wonderful Land of Nod.  
oooOooo  
"Albus, that woman is a menace! What were you thinking? Honestly." Albus Dumbledore's eyes were not twinkling.  
"Minerva, I had no other choice. The Board and Ministry were insistent. It was either her, or let the boy become a ward of the Ministry. I could not let that happen." Dumbledore stroked Fawkes gently. He knew Minerva would be pursing her lips, unhappy with either option. Still, even she had to admit he had made the best choice.  
"Fine, Albus. But if she tries to mess with my cubs, she'll answer to me." He could practically see her crossing her arms and huffing.  
"Of course, my dear woman. Now, it is late, and the students will arrive in mere days. I'm sure we both have necessary things to accomplish before then." His eyes were twinkling at her again. The staid Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes and marched out the door. Dumbledore watched her red tartan disappear down the stairs.  
An elf popped into his office. "Rink has mail for Headmaster. Is from woman."  
"Thank you Rink. Have a lemon drop?" Dumbledore accepted the offered letter and watched bemused as the elf's eyes widened.  
"Oh no, kind Headmaster. Sugar, yes! Lot's sugar. Rink needs sleep." And with that, the elf popped back out. Dumbledore merely shook his head. Who was he to understand the odd ways of house elves?  
He stroked his beard as he perused the letter. Sinclair. Though the Sinclair Clan was quite large, the last magical Sinclair died over a hundred years ago. Sad really, as they used to be some of the more powerful wizards and witches of their time. A vague memory came to him. He had met the last Sinclair, when he was a boy. All he could ever remember about her was her laugh. It was pure magic. He shook himself as he lapsed into memory lane. This was no time to be taking a trip. The girl was clearly using a fake name.  
A thought tickled his outer thoughts. He tried ignoring it, but couldn't. As it passed through to his conscious, he raised his eyebrows. Yes, he had quite forgotten about that prophecy. Albus Dumbledore sighed. It did not seem as though he would be going to sleep tonight after all. He quietly gathered his things and strode towards the Floo. He had business at the Ministry tonight.

oooOooo

Ella woke up an hour before dawn. She smirked. The goblins preferred to sleep in, but would never say no to a customer. And what was life without teasing some of the fiercest warriors on earth? She quickly dressed, thanking her stars that wizarding fashion did not change much, no matter what country one happened to be in. Or century, for that matter. Leaving the room how she found it, Ella slung her satchel over her shoulder and grabbed a handful of Floo powder. Making sure to enunciate clearly, she spoke. "Diagon Alley, if you please." Ella had found that magic tended to be easier if she was treated with respect. Her gentle and fairly soot free landing in Diagon Alley was fair proof of that.  
Always aware of her surroundings, she set off for Gringott's. Her blood fairly roiled underneath her skin. Her magic was excited, eager. Ella felt almost bad for anyone that crossed her today. As they almost assuredly would.  
As she approached the tall building of Gringotts, she felt the magic of the place swirl around her. She saw the warning etched into the face of the building and nodded briefly to it. Not even she would attempt to steal from Gringotts. She entered into the dimly lit entrance and immediately headed over to where Griphook was dealing with an irate blond woman. He caught sight of her immediately.  
"Ah, excuse me, ma'am. Gornuk would be willing to continue on with your transaction today. I have more pressing business to attend to." Griphook grabbed a helpless younger goblin and shoved him in the direction of the blond woman. If Ella were to guess, she would say that was Narcissa Malfoy. And a Sinclair's guesses were often better than anyone else's facts. Mrs. Malfoy looked a bit upset at being handed off, but Ella decided she would get over it.  
"Miss Sinclair, if you would follow me please." Griphook was nothing but cordial, and Ella threw one last glance at Mrs. Malfoy before she followed the short creature to a back room.  
She casually threw up a ward or two as she entered. Griphook looked at her exasperated,  
"Have you no trust in our institution?" She smiled softly at her dear old friend and let her hood down for the first time since arriving.  
"My, Griphook, you haven't changed a bit since I saw you last." She gave him a grin. "It feels like only yesterday." Ella settled in the large armchair offered to her by a sweeping hand. "I trust you remember fairly well what we talked about last." The young witch unconsciously rested her hand at the corner of her lips. The result was fairly imposing, if goblins were the sort to be imposed upon.  
"Like it was yesterday." The goblin steepled his fingers, pleased. It had been a long time since a human had shown him any respect. And Lady Sinclair went far beyond respect. If Griphook were to hazard a guess at the Lady's thoughts (and it was of his opinion that no living thing should ever attempt to do that), he would suppose she thought of him as a friend. Seeing her here, whole and healthy, was nearly enough to bring tears to his eyes. And it was actually recorded in history books the last time a goblin cried. Griphook had no desire to go down in history for that, so he reined himself in and got down to business.  
"Your vault has accrued a substantial amount of interest, of course." The girl smiled slightly at him and nodded for him to continue. "We have protected it entirely from those who tried to claim its wealth. All your properties will be immediately turned over to you. All tenants realize their temporary status. I assume you wish to look over the names of those tenants?" He continued at her nod. "All were chosen most carefully, but we know of your trust issues quite well." Griphook cast a sour glance towards the door that was glowing with her wards. The Lady bit her lip in an effort to keep from laughing. "The Prophecy is also in your vault, we saw no reason to have a separate one as the first is quite impenetrable. No one asked about it until early this morning. A certain bumbling Headmaster that shall go unnamed was searching for it. He went to the Ministry first, and could only find the merest trace of it. One of my brothers was awoken by him. Apparently the merest trace was all needed. He did not realize the danger he put himself into by awakening Gornuk so early. It was only by the shine of my silver tongue that let that man keep all his body parts. Just because the fool is able to speak Gobbledegook does not mean he should. He will be able to view the Prophecy at a more reasonable hour this morning. After you have left, of course." The goblin paused to look at the Lady. She was trying very hard not to laugh still. He nodded in satisfaction. Few humans appreciated goblin humor, mostly because they could not even imagine that the goblins would be making fun of them. They rather imagined the goblins wanting to eat them. Which wasn't all that far off, actually.  
With more than a hint of mirth in her voice, Ella spoke. "Ah, thank you Master Griphook. Both for services rendered and laughter provoked. No matter what topics we speak of, my heart always comes away lighter after speaking with you." Ella paused to smile in thanks at the goblin before her. He gave a slight bow, so slight that no one would have noticed besides her and another goblin.

"Now, I still own a large part of the Daily Prophet, is that correct?" Ella was all business now. They had much to cover in a matter of hours.

"You do. Do you wish for them to become aware of this fact?" Griphook took a page from her book and steepled his hands again.

"Today, if possible. It is time for Lady Mora to become known to all. Especially a certain Tom Riddle. Also, look up a reporter by the name Rita Skeeter. The woman is annoying, but she could be useful. I want to sit down and talk with her. If she is agreeable, I would like for her to be promoted." Ella paused to think. "Also, I believe I would like to sit down and talk to a Percy Weasley. He's currently employed by the Ministry, but he would make a fantastic assistant to Lady Mora if he should desire. Percy will be my first priority. I'll send him a letter to meet later tonight." Immediately, paper and a quill rested on the table beside her. The paper bore Lady Mora's crest.

She scribbled the missive as she continued to speak. Griphook was taking notes, not minding the tedious work. This young woman in front of him was going to change the world, and he was going to be a part of that. Even if it was only as her scribe, he thought with a smirk.

"The Prophet needs to start printing the truth, I don't care what Fudge says. I own enough of the paper that he doesn't have a say anymore. And neither does Dumbledore. Everything they present as fact must be documented and proven. After I set up my assistant, I'll set up meetings to emphasize my point. Of course, I'll provide wards for the building itself. And also wards for every reporter's house that he'd go after. Voldy seems more prone to temper tantrums than I remember." With a flourish, she signed her letter. She waved a hand over it.

oooOooo

Percy Weasley was quite surprised to see a sealed letter with a crest he did not recognize appear on his desk. Raising an eyebrow, he quickly scanned it for any curses. When it came out clean, he slid a finger under the flap and read it. And then re-read it. He slid the paper underneath a book as a co-worker passed by. His curiosity sufficiently raised, he decided he would meet with this mysterious Lady Mora tonight. Why not?

oooOooo

Ella kept speaking even as she registered that Percy would indeed be meeting her tonight. "Now that the Prophet is covered, let's focus on the Ministry. Amelia Bones is one of mine, as well as Kingsley Shackelbolt and Arthur Weasley. They are ready for my word. I have several others in place ready as well. Hopefully they have a list of names for me of others that are willing to support the Plan. Amelia must start bulking up the Auror department. I had her lay fairly low until now, but that's where we start. Next, I want Arthur Weasley promoted to the Head of his department. And given a raise. I didn't realize the poor man would have that many children."

"That will do for the Ministry for now. I'll try more with my assistant. Now on to the Wizengamot. Open my flat in London and have an elf assigned to it. I must begin to socialize with that crowd again. I need several laws passed, and that is the way to do it. Also, make a note to alert the Wizengamot that the Sinclair seat has a witch occupying it once more. Let's do that after school gets out next year for summer hols. I'll need to schedule a party or two this fall. Griphook, I know this is a breach of confidence, but can I have list of names from the Wizengamot and how they are doing financially? It would help immensely." Ella paused and looked at the goblin furiously writing.

Griphook paused after a moment and cocked his head considering it. "Under the circumstances, I do believe that will be possible." Ella smiled happily at him and stared off into the fire again.

"I will need a list of all the old Order of the Phoenix members and who is still alive." Ella winced. "I don't imagine there is too many. But I will ward the houses of any left. I don't trust Dumbledore. He might have left an important ward out for the greater good, as he did with the Potter's and Longbottom's. Speaking of the Longbottom's, I wish to visit them fairly soon. Maybe next week."

Ella stared into the fire for another minute, trying to find anything else she needed to speak to Griphook about. Well, besides the huge matter that had been on her mind from the moment she had landed outside of Hogwarts earlier. She took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to Griphook.

"Now Master Griphook, I must know. Is the Council willing?" Ella was tempted to hold her breath like a foolish schoolgirl. Instead, she took a sip of the water provided for her.

"The Council has considered your offer extensively. They are prepared to render aid and services when is asked of them." Griphook paused a moment to take in the girl's shining eyes. It pleased him to please her. "I suppose it does help that our King thinks highly of you." Ella nearly rolled her eyes at the goblin before her. It was only years of training that kept her from the action.

"Aye, King Griphook. It does at that." Ella spoke softly and with great reverence. Imagine her surprise the last time she had seen him and found out he was the new Goblin King. She had been very impressed of the fact that he still worked among the rest of his subjects. She suspected it was due in a large part to her. He refused to let any other goblin even touch her vault. Something she was very grateful for. Secrecy was necessary right now. "You have my thanks and my promise." Magic swirled in the air around them. An oath, freely given. The Goblin King bowed his head in thanks.

"It is nearing my time to go, old friend. Tell me of your family and life before I go." Ella finally relaxed and listened to the gruff goblin speak of his dear wife and daughters. She carefully rested her chin on a fist.

Another hour flew by before the pair realized. Finally Griphook stood up and looked at her with wary eyes.

Ella knew the reason for it immediately. "Ah, don't fret Master Griphook. I won't be leaving anymore. I'm here to stay." His eyes brightened considerably at her words. There had been too many goodbyes in their past. Ella's eyes darkened a moment at the memory of her dear friend's future. It was not bright, and just another reason why she was here now. "Goodbye for now." She bowed deeply to the short figure in front of her.

oooOooo

Dumbledore contemplated the Prophecy he had just read. He was rather inclined to believe prophecies, having seen one too many come true. But this one? This one sprung nearly a well of hope within him. He had been rather short of that particular emotion lately, even with all his machinations.

_When the Dark One has cheated death itself_

_And returned to destroy the one who lived_

_A Sinclair will rise with him_

_To give the boy a power the Dark One knows not_

_To return the world as it should be_

_To live and let live_

It wasn't very long at all, and rather concise. It was rather odd for a Prophecy over all, but Dumbledore didn't care. It was made nearly a hundred years ago, soon after all the Sinclairs were destroyed. But Albus was sure it referred to now. If that girl truly was a Sinclair, then Harry Potter would surely succeed in defeating Voldemort. He must go speak with her. If she was as young as Rosmerta claimed, he could enroll her at Hogwarts and keep an eye on her. Perhaps he could even give her some guidance. With a glance at Fawkes, Albus Dumbledore spun on the spot and disappeared with a POP!

oooOooo

If Ella knew what the Headmaster was thinking at the moment, she would have dissolved into laughter. As it was, she had a good idea. She had dealt with Dumbledore before, and knew him fairly well. Precisely at three o'clock, there was a sharp rap at her door. Mentally patting herself on the back, she waved a hand at the door, allowing the Headmaster to pass through her wards. They were made so that the Headmaster barely noticed them as he passed through.

"Hello Headmaster Dumbledore, how good of you to drop by this afternoon. Tea?" Ella had stood up when he entered, and nodded respectfully at him. Dumbledore hid his surprise well, Ella noted. She had made it very clear she knew he was coming. He nodded in acceptance and sat down in one of the armchairs she had conjured.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Eleanor Sinclair, though I prefer Ella. And I can assure you, Headmaster, that Sinclair is not a pseudonym." Dumbledore did not do as well hiding his surprise this time.

"Miss Sinclair, I find myself at a disadvantage. You seem to know me and my thoughts quite well, yet I know next to nothing about you. Perhaps you could inform me a bit." Dumbledore was watching her with shrewd eyes as he sipped his tea.

"Quite the change, I imagine. Very well, I will inform you, as you put it. I have recently made my way back into the country after an extended time away. I wish to attend Hogwarts until graduation, as it is the finest school in the wizarding world. A simple competency exam will prove I am capable of keeping up with other Fifth Years. I arrived in Scotland last night and visited Diagon Alley today. Is there any more you wish to know, Headmaster? I'm an open book." Ella spread her hands innocently, trying not to laugh at the expression on Dumbledore's face. She could see him struggling not to ask any more questions, not that she would answer them as he wished. He seemed to realize that, and shook his head.

"No, I believe that is all. Let's meet at three tomorrow afternoon for your exam, shall we?" At Ella's nod, he continued. "You can Floo directly into my office. I'll have one of the teachers prepare the exam for you."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Ella stood. "It was nice seeing you, Headmaster. I look forward to the next few years."

"As do I, Miss Sinclair. Until tomorrow." Albus tipped his head towards her and turned on the spot. Ella grinned. The man had more questions than answers now. She believed she would have some fun keeping her dear headmaster in the dark for a bit, especially as he was searching so hard for the light.

oooOooo

Albus Dumbledore paced in his office. The girl acted like she knew him! While she seemed a bit familiar, he had never met her before. And he remembered every face he saw. He sighed and sank down into a chair. With all the questions bouncing around in his brain, it was unlikely he would get much sleep tonight either. Accepting it, he sent for Minerva. She would test the girl tomorrow. He had no doubts that the girl, Ella, would pass. And of all things, Albus Dumbledore wondered why this mysterious girl would transfigure her eyes. It was slight enough that he almost didn't notice it. It made him wonder why a fifteen year old girl would want to transfigure her eyes like that. The shape and color hadn't been changed at all, which made it a mystery. And if there was anything Albus Dumbledore was good at, it would be solving mysteries.

oooOooo

Ella decided to wander Diagon Alley a bit before her next meeting. She hadn't expected the Headmaster to let up as soon as he did. Clearly, he was learning how to read a situation better than he had in the past. So now she had a good four hours before Percy showed up in the Three Broomsticks. She spent it shopping for more modern clothes. The ones she had on now were over twenty years old. She walked out of Madame Malkins an hour and a half later grumbling to herself. She hated shopping for clothes, magic or not. But now she had new school robes, some casual clothes, and several things for Lady Mora. Though she had not gotten all these at once. It had required her to go in as Lady Mora afterwards, as she was a bit different in size than Ella was.

Ella was actually quite proud of her Lady Mora side. It wasn't a glamour, it was an actual full transformation. It was quite hard to do, but Ella had practiced it enough that she could do the switch within a minute. Her long wild black curls were tamed into softer auburn curls with a white streak that were piled on top of her head. She grew several inches, and filled out a bit more in the hips and bust area. Her eyes changed from their normal grey to a vibrant green. Her face rounded out a bit more, and her hair line changed to a widow's peak. They were slight changes, but it was enough to hide her true identity. And her claim to her title was very clear in her appearance. She was nearly a carbon copy of Godric Gryffindor, and all the pureblood families recognized that. Of course, she was descended from him, but her true appearance mirrored that of Slytherin and his wife, Rowena Ravenclaw. She had Salazar's eyes and his long fingers, while her hair and willowy figure were that of Rowena's. Looks never changed much throughout the magical families. She, the Malfoy's, and the Weasley's were a testament to that.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she went into Fortescue's to grab some ice cream and peace. She enjoyed Diagon Alley, but all the children were there getting last minute purchases. As she sat there, three figures caught her attention.

"Harry, we still have loads of shopping to get done! We don't have time for ice-cream!" A bushy-haired witch was ineffectively pulling at a tall boy's sleeve. His bright green eyes, messy black hair, and lightening scar revealed exactly who he was. All of Ella's attention was on the trio as they made their way to the counter.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. But you know how Ron is when he has his mind set on food. Near unstoppable!" Harry raked his hand through his hair in a bit of agitation, and immediately tried to pat it down again. Ella's eyes brightened in mirth. Sure enough, the red-head was the one leading the group. He appeared not to have heard the two behind him. Instead, his eyes were raking over the menu. Harry soon joined him and Hermione crossed her arms and huffed.

Ella took the opportunity to examine the Boy-Who-Lived. The last time she had seen him, he had been over fifty years older. Time had not been kind to him. His hair had been liberally streaked with grey, and his face had hosted a myriad of premature wrinkles. It was his eyes though, that had always gotten to Ella. His eyes revealed a man who had lost everything, his soul nearly as ancient as hers for all the death he'd seen.

But now his eyes were a good deal younger. He had still looked Death in the face though. That much was obvious in the slight slump of his shoulders, the way his hand strayed constantly to where his wand was, and the tiny lines around his eyes. The boy was fifteen, for Merlin's sake! Ella scowled. Fate had dealt this boy quite a hand. But his face was mostly unlined, his hair a jet black, and his expression animated. Ella took another bite of her ice-cream, keeping the trio in her sight as they made their way to table within her earshot.

"Harry, I still can't believe you had to go to trial for casting that Patronus! And Dumbledore refusing to even look at you? He must have his reasons." Hermione was punctuating her sentences with jabs from her spoon.

"Yeah, mate. Good thing it's all over. We'll be on the train tomorrow and have our normal boring school year." Ron's statement was slightly muffled by the ice cream he was shoveling in his mouth. Ella looked on in slight awe. She'd have a headache if she tried that. Harry snorted, Ella assumed in reaction the "normal boring school year" part.

"Normal, ha. That's a good one Ron. Hey, when we get back to the Burrow, let's try out your new broom, yeah? I still can't believe you and Hermione got Prefect badges." Harry tried to make the last part sound casual, but Ella was sure both Ron and Hermione heard the unsaid ending. _"And I didn't…_" Ella clenched her fist in an effort to keep from hexing Dumbledore wherever he was now. The Great Fool didn't realize what some of his actions did to Harry. Harry saw Dumbledore as a parental figure Harry never had, so when the Headmaster started ignoring the boy, it did far more harm than good.

"Sure mate, that sounds like fun. I wanna see how it does against your Firebolt." Ron grinned at Harry, trying to get his mind off of other matters. Like the Great Bloody Dumbledore. Seriously, if Ella knew how all his fame would go to the man's head she would have never- Ella blinked. Why on earth would the Ministry be tailing Harry? Surely not for protection, although they should have been doing that since the boy was a toddler. Ella carefully watched the man watching Harry. As the Trio left, so did the man.

Sighing, Ella threw away nearly half of her ice-cream. The curse of being a slow eater. Ella slipped into the alley beside the ice-cream shop and removed the Lady Mora persona. Looking like herself once again, Ella caught up quickly to the man tailing the Trio. He was good, she had to give him that. He made good use of notice-me-not charms, shadows, and other distractions to keep within earshot of the trio. A spy on the Boy-Who-Lived? Not very politically correct. Thinking quickly, Ella sprang into action. She silently sent a _finite_ at the man's notice-me-not at the exact same time she sent a cat to trip him. He managed not to stumble on the cat, but didn't notice his charm was gone.

Ella maneuvered herself so that she and Hermione crashed into each other. "Oh! I am so sorry! I'm so clumsy, Mum is always on me about watching where I'm going…" To any onlookers, Ella continued to mumble apologies, including the two boys who were helping the two girls collect all the books and papers Hermione had been holding. Hermione was just scrambling to catch all of her papers. As they stood up, Ella breathed a warning to Hermione.

"Act natural. You've got a tail, don't shake him, just be careful what you speak of. Don't tell the boys, just stay clear of interesting topics." To Hermione's credit, she acted like Ella hadn't said a word.

"Oh, don't worry about it. No harm done." Hermione's voice only had a hint of strain in it. Ella nodded and slowly walked off, blending into the crowd effortlessly. She had caught the way Hermione's eyes had darted and caught sight of their tail though. _Good._ Ella though as she watched the trio continue on with their purchases. Thankfully, Hermione was quite adept at steering their conversation clear of anything the Ministry might want to know. Satisfied, Ella headed back to the Three Broomsticks. It was nearly time for her meeting with Percy Weasley.

oooOooo

Percy wiped his hands nervously on his robes. He was moving up in the Ministry, and he didn't want to mess that all up. But this Lady Mora had caught his attention quite well. So here he was, in front of the Three Broomsticks. There was no harm in hearing her out. Drawing on some Gryffindor courage, Percy swung open the door and walked inside. His gaze was drawn immediately to a woman sitting in a darker corner, her back to the wall. She sat with perfect poise and grace, daintily drinking tea. She made eye contact with him, and the corner of her mouth curved up. Apparently, that was all the recognition he would get.

Percy had researched this Lady Mora as extensively as he could. She was around his parent's age. She had only attended Hogwarts for a year before she took her N.E.W.T.S at fourteen, achieving the honor of the youngest to graduate Hogwarts. Not much was known about her before she came to Hogwarts, only that she came from an ancient pureblood family. Her parents were said to have died in a battle against Voldemort, and she lived with an aunt till she graduated. After graduation, she kept a low profile, gaining friends in the right places. She made no move to go into the Ministry, a bad decision Percy thought, but she made plenty of friends in politics. Both in the Ministry and the Wizengamot, Percy noted. And then she had dropped off the map nearly completely. Percy had decided she had traveled to gain support in other countries. All in all, it seemed her friendships had paid off. He knew Amelia Bones and his own father considered her their friend, and several other Heads of departments.

With this in mind, he approached the woman, taking in her appearance. She didn't look quite as old as his parents, but the white streak through her red hair was a sign of her age. Her green eyes had crow's feet around them, likely from smiling often, Percy mused. She stood up and offered him her hand. Percy took it, pleased with her firm handshake.

"Ah, Mr. Weasley. How good of you to meet me tonight. I have heard much of your rapid rise through the Ministry. I believe you are the Minister's own assistant now?" Her voice was slightly husky, and it made Percy want to hear it again. No, the young wizard was not attracted to the older woman, but there was something about her that drew him in.

"Yes, Lady Mora. I am quite fortunate." Percy made an attempt to be humble, but it fell quite flat.

"Fortunate would not have been the word I would have used. You have more than a healthy dose of ambition, but not enough cunning and calculation to temper it. A side effect to you being placed in Gryffindor, no doubt. I wonder why you were not placed in Slytherin? You would have done well there." Percy's feathers were sufficiently ruffled.

"I was placed in Gryffindor because that's where all Weasley's go." Percy refused to hear the compliments Lady Mora had given him, he focused only on the slight to his old house.

"Of course, Percy." Lady Mora soothed. It worked quite well, as Percy began lowering the arms he had crossed. He didn't even notice the familiarity with which the Lady used his first name. "I forget sometimes the bad reputation Slytherin has managed to build for itself. I didn't mean to offend you. I was in Gryffindor myself. I was merely mentioning that you would have done better in Slytherin."

Percy shrugged and looked away from her piercing look. "That's what the Sorting Hat said. But I would have been an outcast in my own family even sooner if I had been Sorted there. I manage just fine with my Gryffindor tendencies."

Lady Mora nodded. Percy looked back at her and squared his shoulders. "Now what kind of job offer do you have for me? I'm making no promises, I just want to hear about it."

Lady Mora's tone was all business. "Of course, Percy. I wouldn't expect you to. I need an assistant, and you came highly recommended to me. You would mostly be in charge of keeping my schedule, scheduling meetings, taking notes at those meetings, and a few other minor things. The job comes with housing, a house elf, and an allowance for food and necessities. Along with these things, I'm willing to match what the Minister is paying you. As I don't need you during the day, you are free to continue your job at the Ministry. I'm willing to work around your schedule there for awhile. I have more information to give you, but only if you accept the job." Lady Mora sat back slightly in her chair, watching as Percy processed all the information she had given him proceeded to place the proverbial cherry on top. "You will be my right hand man, and will have my trust. Something I don't give lightly, young man." Percy nodded. "Also, as I mentioned in my letter, I am willing to throw my support behind you someday for the position of Minister of Magic, your ultimate goal, I'm sure. I have enough backing now to give you a fighting chance, but I'll have even more in a few years to make that a certainty. What do you say?"

Percy's head was spinning. This woman was offering him his dreams on a silver platter. Even Fudge hadn't promised him anything concerning his future. And to give him housing and an allowance beyond his salary nearly had him shouting yes. Plus the fact he could still work at the Ministry, it was almost too good to be true. He narrowed his eyes. Of course it was. There had to be a catch somewhere.

"And the catch?" His sharp eyes watched the Lady's features carefully. He hadn't gotten to where he was without being sharp. Lady Mora chuckled.

"You are a sharp one, aren't you? Perfect. Well, there might be danger involved down the road. But I can offer you my full protection. And you'd be privy to a fair amount of secrets. You have to take an Oath once hired. And I can't promise it won't be illegal. I don't plan on breaking any rules, but things happen." The Lady spread out her hands in an innocent gesture, but Percy could see her eyes sharply watching him.

He pondered what she had said. He supposed he wasn't getting any more information without an Oath. But he had been taught to scan a person's emotions, and he wasn't getting anything malicious from her. In fact, she seemed downright trustworthy. Almost everything in him screamed at him to take the job. And so he did.

"Ah, excellent. I'd have a hard time finding a more suitable assistant." The praise made Percy feel warm. Fudge hardly ever complimented him. "If you would follow me, please. I'd rather not have you take an Oath in front of all these people."

Percy glanced around the bar. There were maybe a dozen people scattered about. And none of them were paying a lick of attention to the two of them. Nevertheless, he shrugged his shoulders and followed the Lady upstairs. Once they were inside her room, she sat him down on a chair. Percy started to see a goblin waiting for them

"Ah, Master Griphook, excellent. Mr. Weasley has agreed to be my assistant. You will oversee the Oaths?" Percy wiped his sweaty hands on his cloak. The goblin saw, and sneered at him. Trepidation began rising in his throat. What had he done?

Without warning, the Lady grasped his forearm, and he did the same to her. Magic started to build as he repeated the binding words after her. The Oath was very thorough, it left no room for him to go against her in any way without severe consequences. With a blinding blue light, he said the last word. He slumped in his chair, overwhelmed by the new magic coursing through him. But apparently they weren't done. The Lady grabbed his arm again and proceeded give an oath to him. She promised to protect him and his with the best of her abilities, to never cheat him, and to one day support him as Minister and make sure he was equipped for the job. Percy almost couldn't believe it. No one made those kinds of Oaths in politics anymore, as it was mostly about stabbing people in the back to get to where you wanted to go. It's why his father never made it very far, he wasn't willing to go to those lengths. He looked at the woman before him with great respect.

She and Griphook sat down and looked at him. "Percy, there is just one more thing." The Lady spoke. "Hold out your arm." Percy did, somehow entirely trusting the woman in front of him. A large part of that, he supposed, was due to the Oaths he had just sworn. She gently held his arm and pressed her wand the crook of his arm. A burning sensation flared momentarily, then was gone. He examined the slightly red mark. It was two snakes entwined around an ornate clock, the hands pointing to eleven o'clock. It was small, and barely noticeable as the red faded away fast. It appeared to be in white ink, directly opposite where the dark mark would be.

"Percy, pay close attention." He swung his gaze to her face, where it would remain for the rest of the night.

"I don't usually mark anybody without a Dark Mark on the other side." Percy was confused instantly, and dismayed. What had he gotten himself into? "Don't look so horrified. My ultimate goal is to defeat Voldemort and fix all that's wrong with our society. And yes, Voldemort is back. And part of bringing down old Voldy is doing it from the inside. I have people loyal to me inside his Death Eater ranks. They need the mark, mostly to prove their loyalty once everything is over. You need it because it will alert you instantly when I need you and allow you to apparate to where I am, similar to the Dark Mark. It will also start burning if I am in danger, or turn black if I die. If I die, Percy, you must flee the country. You already know enough to be killed, and my protections will not protect you if I am dead."

Percy nodded slowly, taking it all in. She was right, this could turn dangerous. But somehow, he still trusted her. He also believed her that Voldemort was back. As part of their Oath, he knew that every word she said to him was truth. And he was glad he was taking such an active part in taking down Voldemort.

"My mark will protect you from most hexes, jinxes, and forms of Legilimency. You are also impervious to the Imperius Curse. Only Griphook, others who have the mark, and I can see the mark. You will live in a wing of my own house, starting tonight. I'll have your house elf, Blinky, move all your stuff tomorrow morning. Even Voldemort couldn't break past the wards on that house. I will not always be there, but you can call me in an emergency by pressing your wand to the mark. You will have your own office, and Blinky can deliver any messages you have for me. Starting tomorrow, I will have a notebook that will fill with the things I need you to do. We won't see each other often after the first few days, but I have utmost confidence in you." Percy nodded silently, taking all the information in.

"Now, this is essential. You must remain estranged from your family, you must keep acting as you did before. For awhile, no one at the Ministry must know you are my assistant. And you must keep me informed of Fudge's plans. We will meet again tomorrow night, and three nights after that. For now, I'll have Blinky take you to your new quarters." With a small pop, the house elf appeared. Percy took the elf's hand, still musing over all he had learned. As they popped away, he concluded that this would be the adventure of a life-time. And his Gryffindor side was quite alright with that.

TBC

A/N: I will not post anymore notes after this. This is un-beta'd. If you see mistakes and would like to see them corrected, feel free to message me about taking the beta position. I love to hear feedback, and will respond to each review. Please leave an email address if you would like a response. I have already fallen in love with this story, and hope you will too.

Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize. It's all JKR's. But anything else is mine.**

_Airport in Maine, May 1,2048_

Ella had been very interested in how Muggle's flew. Not anymore. The plane ride had been jarring, and nothing like riding on a broom. She decided to forgo it on the trip back. She made her way through the busy airport, playing a bit of a game by "guessing" who were witches or wizards. It wasn't terribly hard, as she could clearly tell who was able to use magic, and who wasn't. Eventually she made her way to a taxi. Once they were on their way to her destination, she pulled out a notebook and stared at the contents. The taxi driver gave up on conversation after five minutes of silence from her. She could feel his occasional glances though. He was probably wondering why a fourteen year old would be traveling by herself, especially in these dangerous time. Ella would have no answer for him, especially since he was a Muggle.

After a few hours, they arrived at a long driveway that meandered through trees and hid the house from view. They were in the middle of nowhere in Upper Maine.

"Here is fine." Ella spoke as the man prepared to pull in. He shrugged, and accepted the money she gave him. Ella tightened her grip on her satchel, and made her way up the long driveway. It was a nice walk, however. The sun was up, and though it wasn't very warm, it still brightened up her walk. Soon enough, she came upon a small cottage tucked back in the woods. Steeling herself for what she would see, she rapped smartly on the wooden door.

A man with silver streaked hair wrenched the door open angrily. His eyes were red and bleary, and he reeked of alcohol. His green eyes watched her carefully.. Both he and she knew no Muggle would be able to see this house.

"How'd you find me?" His words were slightly slurred, and his tone accusing.

"I knew where to look." Her tone was curt, and her posture was disapproving.

"Look, if you want an interview, I am not in the mood, so if you'll just leave-" He had started to slam the door, but Ella waved a hand and the door swung wide open. He stood back in astonishment, probably at the fact that she used soundless and wandless magic. But she took it as an invitation inside. It was a mess. The smell of beer and body odor permeated the room, while bottles and half eaten pizzas were strewn across every imaginable surface. The drapes were shut tight, and no light was streaming in.

Ella took one look and waved her wand. All the trash was instantly banished, all the furniture straightened, and the drapes flew open as well as the windows.

"Bloody hell, who are you? You can't just come in here and do as you please! I'm Harry bloody Potter!" Harry was shoving a hand through his already messed up hair. It was clear he hadn't showered in ages.

Ella rolled her eyes. She primly sat on a newly cleaned armchair. "Clearly. Now, if you please?" She waved her hand at the opposite armchair. He huffed and sat down. As he ran a hand through his hair again, and then patted it down she caught a glimpse of several scars on his wrists. Her heart felt heavy. Harry had to have known that Muggle ways of suicide wouldn't work on him.

"My name is Ella Sinclair. I am a Mora Malefica, or a Time Witch." As she said the words, she waved a hand in a circle. A bird flying past the window froze in midair. It was really the only indicator she had stopped Time around them. Well, except for the clock on the wall that had stopped ticking. Harry stared at the bird and the clock for a moment, then turned to her.

"Those are supposed to be extremely rare, like once every five hundred years rare." Harry's tone was clearly disbelieving and a bit accusing.

Ella raised an eyebrow, and Harry felt slightly ashamed. "Yes, but I assure you, I am telling the truth." She summoned a glass from the kitchen and silently filled it with water. She took a sip and looked at her impolite host.

"Er, would you like something to drink?" Harry's face was red, and his tone sarcastic.

"Yes please, and thank you." Ella shook her head at him. He just glared back.

"So, what? You're here from the future and want to know my story?" Harry continued to be difficult, just because he was used to isolation and didn't like it to be disturbed.

"Something like that. History books can only tell me so much." Ella didn't regret lying. She intended to change this man's future, and she could only do that if he told her what to change. He would never remember her after she started changing history.

Harry sighed, resigned. "Fine, what do you wish to know?"

For the next five hours, Ella pulled information from Harry's past. He told her all about his school years, how he was constantly in danger every year. He told her about Voldemort coming back, about Cedric Diggory's death. He told her about seeing Dumbledore die at the hands of Snape, about camping in the woods his entire seventh year. He told her about escaping Gringott's on a dragon, how Griphook had betrayed them. He spoke of the Final Battle like it had happened yesterday instead of fifty years ago.

"The next twenty years were fairly happy for Ginny and I. She went pro in Quidditch for a few years while I was an Auror. It wasn't my favorite work, but at least I was doing something. Then Ginny got pregnant, and retired. She stayed home with the kids, and I continued to work as an Auror. I never was one for politics, but as soon as I was offered the Head of the DMLE position, I took it. At least I was at a desk job and could bulk up the Auror department. It helped that my father in law was the Minister of Magic. It all started falling apart when Lily started at Hogwarts. Instead of growing closer with the kids gone, we grew farther apart. We didn't fight, we just… fell apart. It was awful. And then-" Harry stopped speaking and scrubbed his hands across his face.

"Ginny took all the kids to Diagon Alley the summer before James' fifth year. A Death Eater that had been in hiding all that time saw his bloody chance and took it. There was barely anything left of her and the kids for me to identify. I quit my job a week later and moved over here to the States. Fewer people over here know of Harry Potter. I quite like that."

Ella had just sat there through the entire thing, quietly asking questions. She let Harry collect himself before saying one more thing.

"And now there's a new Dark Lord on the rise." Harry looked up at her, and the despair in his eyes took her breath away and left her chest hurting as she spoke the words.

"Yeah." He said roughly. "And the wizarding world will look once again to sodding Harry Potter, the Chosen One. I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do about that. Probably be the bloody Gryffindor and try to stop him. What else is there?" He was nearly sobbing by now. Ella clenched her teeth. She was stuck in this place for another year, and she mentally cursed both Time and Fate for sending her there. She didn't need to see this.

Ella quietly snuck out of the house. She couldn't do anything. Not a single blasted thing. That poor man in there would have to live through another year of hell before she could do anything. _If he survives that long_, her thoughts added.

Then she straightened up in resolve. There was something she could do, she could do what she came to do. She would find out every single bloody thing about this time period so she could make damn sure this didn't happen again. And she could keep that man in there company. Merlin knows he needed someone to take care of him.

With one last glance at the house framed in the last rays of the sun, Ella whispered a promise right before she turned on her heel and apparated.

"I'll be back, Harry Potter. You won't go through life alone, not while I'm here." She didn't see the soft blue light that swirled around the spot where she had been. She had just made a magical oath, and she would keep it. Whether she wanted to or not.

oooOooo


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize. It's all JKR's. But anything else is mine. There are several passages from the OotP, and they are contained by ****

_Diagon Alley, August 31, 1995_

Ella pushed her way past all the students flooding Diagon Alley. She was so tempted to forcefully clear a path, but that would alert the wrong kind of people of her presence. So she clenched her teeth and kept at it. Her first stop today would be Ollivander's. Her wand was fairly recognizable to anyone who knew their history. Or if they were a pureblood. Luckily, it hadn't come from Ollivander's, so the creepy Seer wouldn't recognize her. In fact, she had placed several complex charms around her person so that Ollivander would see her just as she wished to be portrayed.

She finally arrived, and pushed the door open quickly. The quiet inside the shop was music to her ears. She moved freely and took a deep breath. When she didn't see Ollivander, she moved up to the desk and rung the bell. It echoed for a few moments, and then died off. Ollivander came bustling up to the counter.

"Ah, Miss Sinclair! How nice to see you! I wasn't expecting you here today. It's rather odd for a Fifth year to be getting a new wand." She was mentally frying the meddling old man with her laser vision, but on the outside, she was as sweet and polite as ever.

"Unfortunately, my wand broke on the way over here. I've been without it for only a day, yet I feel naked."

"Of course, tis only natural. Now, I suppose we'll start off with a cherry wand, 11 inches, dragon heartstring." The man waved his wand, bringing the box towards him. Ella nearly rolled her eyes.

"Sir, if I may?" Ollivander seemed confused, and went to hand her the box. She shook her head, and he suddenly understood her.

"A very peculiar way of finding your wand, but I suppose you can try." He seemed dismissive, like he didn't believe it could work. Ella did roll her eyes now, though not where the wandmaker could see.

Pushing up her sleeves, she stretched out her hand. Her magic flowed out from her and began searching the walls and walls of wands. Her own true wand quivered in her pocket, and she had to push it back down. As she knew it would, a box came flying through the air. Ollivander merely looked curious. She carefully opened the box and admired her new wand. It wasn't quite like her ivy one, but it would do nicely as a second wand. She picked it up, and green sparks flew out and formed a rather pretty snake.

"White willow, sturdy, 12 inches, and unicorn hair for its core. Very nice for Charms and Transfiguration. A very nice fit." A slightly confused look took over his face. Ella barely managed to keep from giggling. She didn't doubt this was the first time he'd ever seen the witch choose the wand. It would take him a few days to realize that's exactly what happened. Well, she wasn't worried about it. She quickly paid for the wand and a top of the line wand holster, and left. She slid the wand into the holster as she headed off towards her next destination. The wand would slide into her hand with a flick of the wrist. She thought her new wand was very pretty. The wood was pure white, with two pieces twining up from the handle to form a point. The handle itself was a work of art. Swirls and patterns cascaded all over it. Not only was it pretty, but it provided a nice grip.

She checked the sun in the sky, she still had a few hours before she met with Professor McGonagall for her testing. In the meantime, she would buy her books, her potions kit, and maybe visit the Menagerie.

oooOooo

Three hours later found Ella walking into the Menagerie. She had debated for nearly an hour whether to get a pet or not. An owl or a toad were out of the question, they'd be too scared of her. So it was a cat or kneazle for her. She would decide in the store. She walked through the aisles, amazed at the sheer amount of cats, kneazles, and half-kneazles. She finally just stood in front of the large glass and decided to see which one would come up to her. None of them, apparently. They were all scared of her. She huffed, that would be her luck. As she was leaving, she noticed a cage separated from all the others. She approached it cautiously. The tiny figure inside immediately sprang at her.

_What do you want, black one? I'm not scared of you!_ The tiny thing was hissing at her, and she found it amusing. She took a closer look, and the owner of the store came up to her.

"That's Circe. She's quite the handful, especially as a kitten. We just got her a few days ago. She's half kneazle, half bobcat. It makes for a wild ride." Ella nodded absentmindedly. She liked the little one's pluck. And she was plain pretty. She would be bigger than the average cat when she grew, but smaller than a bobcat. And she was pure white with silver markings. She could practically hear Fate laughing at her. Her familiar would be the complete opposite of her. Ella shrugged mentally.

"I'll take her. I like feisty."

_I'll bet you do. Well, I'm gonna claw your face off! You won't eat me if I can help it. You'll regret walking into this building today._

The kitten continued on in this pattern as Ella bought both the kitten, a carrier that was expanded on the inside, a collar that would return Circe to Ella whenever she called, and a bed. Ella hoped the kitten would eventually sleep with her, but wouldn't hold her breath. It seemed she had a ways to go to convince the kitten that Ella wasn't going to eat her.

The owner put on magically enhanced gloves so she could grab the yowling kitten and place her in her new carrier. Circe was not happy. But Ella was. She had about an hour before she had to be at Hogwarts, and she intended on using that time to get used to her new familiar.

Soon enough, the pair arrived inside Ella's rooms. She had avoided using Apparation, as Circe would not find that pleasant. Ella had to stifle many chuckles at the obscenities coming from inside the carrier. They were quite clever. That's why she liked cats.

Ella cast a shield on herself just in case, and quickly opened the carrier. The kitten was a white streak as she zoomed out of the carrier. Circe stopped in the middle of the floor, searching for Ella. Ella stepped out right in front of her and knelt on the ground. The kitten stared at her with amber eyes, neither retreating nor attacking.

"I am not going to eat you, little one." The kitten harrumphed at her, and continued to stare. "I am not a panther in disguise, I promise. I am a human who has the ability to turn into a panther. And this human has no desire for a kneazle dinner.

_Half kneazle, thank you very much._ Circe seemed to accept Ella's explanation however, and proceeded to lick a paw unconcernedly.

"I'm sorry, your majesty." Circe immediately laid her ears flat on her head and hissed.

_You can understand me?!_ Ella smiled and nodded. She held out her hand to the kitten.

_Hmm, I suppose this won't be so bad after all. I could have ended up with a stupid human. And I rather like being called 'your majesty'. You should do that more often._ Circe cautiously butted her head against Ella's hand.

"Unlikely, little one. Perhaps once in a great while. Now I'm going to place some spells on you, you're just going to feel a bit odd for a second or two. They're for your protection. Just don't run away." Circe looked at her skeptically, but nodded her tiny head. Ella carefully picked her up and started waving her hand back and forth over the kitten's body. After she was done, she cradled the kitten to her chest and started petting her.

_Ooh, keep doing that cat-girl. That feels really lovely._ They spent quite a few minutes curled up by the fire, talking to each other. Ella was delighted with her new kitten. The name Circe fit her perfectly too. The kitten's wit alone was enough to turn anyone to a beast. Hyperbolically, of course. Soon, though, Ella had to leave for Hogwarts.

"Circe, I have to go for a bit. Are you okay with staying in this room for a few hours, or would you like me to let you out?" Ella gently put the kitten down on the bed as she began to get ready.

_Let me out. I want to catch a mouse or two, I'm hungry._ The kitten began sharpening her claws on the wooden bedpost. Ella shook her head, and quickly transformed a piece of string into a scratching post for Circe.

"Please don't destroy everything while I'm gone. If you have to rip something to shreds, do it with a mouse or this post." Ella threw on her new cloak as she admonished her kitten.

_No promises._ Circe leapt off the bed and headed out the door, her short fluffy tail waving her goodbye. Ella smiled and shook her head. She quickly Floo'd into the Headmaster's office. He was sitting at his desk, waiting for her.

"Punctual, Miss Sinclair. I like that." Dumbledore stood and indicated that she go down the steps leading out of his office. She nodded, and followed him down the stairs.

"I'm sure you'll pass the test with flying colors, so I had McGonagall prepare a list of things you'll need this year. She'll have further instructions for you after you are done." They arrived at McGonagall's office doors, and he waved her in. She nodded back at him, and entered. Her first impression of her Professor was a favorable one. She hadn't been on staff back in the Marauder days, and so Ella hadn't met her. The woman was down to earth, down to business, and Ella liked that. The woman gave her instructions, and then gave her the exam.

It was a fairly thick piece of business. Ella had already decided beforehand that she would do enough to place in Fifth year, and to be brilliant, but not too brilliant. And so she finished it fairly fast, and did not bother to check over her answers. McGonagall was surprised at her speed, and even more surprised at her score.

"You've done very well, Miss Sinclair. Even better than the Headmaster predicted. You will be a welcome addition to Hogwarts. Now, here's your supply list, be sure to get exactly what is on the list. You are allowed one pet: an owl, cat, or toad. You may arrive at the castle as early as you wish tomorrow, since you are so close. The Headmaster has requested that you be here at least an hour before the Sorting. He'll have you Sorted separate from the incoming First years. Your things will be taken up to your room once you have been Sorted." The woman mentioned a few other things, and then Ella was finally free to go.

McGonagall had Filch escort her out of the gates. He was supposed to take her all the way to Hogsmeade, but Ella took pity on the surly man and assured him she was capable of getting there safely by herself. He gave her a grateful glance and started trudging back up the hill. She noted that he seemed to be moving quite stiffly, and made a note to send him some anti-arthritis balm. Sure, he was a git to the students, but anyone would get grumpy dealing with arthritis and having to chase hundreds of students around a giant magical castle.

Ella apparated back to the Three Broomsticks, and went on a search for her kitten. She didn't have to search long, the familiar bond was already forming between her and Circe and pointed her right to the kitten. Ella laughed when she saw Circe gnawing on a rat that was bigger than she was. The kitten's belly was slightly distended, showing Ella that the kitten had gotten her fill and more. Ella carefully picked up her kitten, and then banished the remains and headed for her room. Circe didn't protest, and allowed herself to be carried.

"I thought you were going to hunt for a mouse, not a great big rat." Ella walked into her room.

_Mmm, but where's the fun in that? Plus the rat is much tastier. He made a good dinner._ Ella placed the white half-kneazle on the bed, and started getting all her stuff ready for Hogwarts. She pulled her shrunken trunk out first and enlarged. She grinned at the old battered thing. It was a family heirloom. No one would think anything of it, except for a Sinclair. When anyone else opened it, they would see the inside of a normal student's trunk. But when she opened it, a staircase opened up with sconces on the side to light her way.

The trunk was her home and her refuge. Ella descended the stairs, ignoring Circe's startled hiss. She entered into a wide foyer. It was brightly lit. There were several rooms off of it. One was her extensive library, containing generations of Sinclair books. Another was her bedroom. Yet another was a kitchen with a never-ending food supply. She also had a potions lab, a dueling room, and a nearly endless Charmed forest so that her Animagus form could run free when she was in a place that didn't allow for such things. And one more led to her office. It was where she kept all her plans written down and sorted. It was cozy, with a fireplace that lent the room warmth. She had placed a large, overstuffed armchair in front of it. And by the window that was charmed to reflect a scene depending on her mood was her desk. Right now her view was of a mountain range.

She had brought her satchel with her, and began to put away many of her new purchases and the things she had kept in there to keep them at hand. She kept only her new student wardrobe and her school supplies back, so she could keep them in her room. Her roommates would be suspicious if she had nothing out, yet things kept popping up.

After she was done, she headed to her bedroom with a gleam in her eyes. Facing an empty wall, she started waving her ivy wand in a series of complicated moves. An annex opened up. She went inside the new room and started adding things. A fireplace with a large rug in front of it, several pillows placed around the room, and a small fountain. Concentrating a bit harder, Ella created a series of platforms, scratching posts, and tunnels around the room at different levels. Circe would definitely be pleased with her very own room. And she could have a run in the forest room anytime her little heart desired.

Smiling, Ella went back up the steps of the trunk to see Circe on the edge staring worriedly down at her. As soon as she got to the top, the fierce kitten jumped on her hissing and yowling.

_Don't ignore me again, you stupid human. You walked down those steps without a care to your safety. For all I knew, you were walking into a pit of dogs. Idiot._

Ella laughed as the kitten calmed down. "I'm sorry, Circe. I had a few things to do. But I have a surprise for you."

_Does it involve going down there?_

"Of course. Are you scared?" The kitten bristled at the thought.

_No. Take me down, human._

Ella laughed again, and Circe decided she quite liked her human's laugh. "Perhaps in a bit. I have to meet with my assistant for a while. You can stay here or come with me, your choice."

_I'll come with you. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into without me._

"Fine then. Come with me. But you can't attack him. In fact, you can't attack anyone that smells like him. I've marked a few people, and they'll smell a bit like me. They have sworn themselves to me, so they are entirely trustworthy." Ella changed into Lady Mora as she spoke.

Circe licked a paw to show how fascinated she was.

_If you say so._

"I do. Now, you aren't going to like this part." Circe yowled as Ella apparated them to the townhouse in London. It was in a bit of a nicer neighborhood than the Black's townhouse. Percy was understandably surprised to see a fluffy ball of white attacking the Lady Mora as soon as she apparated into his office. The thing was hissing and yowling and scratching and biting. It didn't look terribly happy with apparition. Eventually Lady Mora soothed the kitten, but it continued to stare balefully up at her human. But the Lady just smiled and said to Percy, "Meet my new familiar, Circe." Seconds later, though she was all business and showing him exactly what she wanted him to do. Percy was grateful, and even more so to see her leave with the kitten. The thing had eventually moved her glare to him. He was sure she had been about to pounce on him the entire time.

Circe's reaction was less extreme the second time they apparated, but she was still unhappy. Ella fixed it by going down into the trunk. Circe's amber eyes were wide open as Ella descended back down the steps. When the kitten realized exactly where she was, she got excited.

_A home within a home. You humans aren't all stupid after all. What else is there?_

Ella patiently showed the kitten everything, making sure to save the cat room for last. Circe loved the forest and the office. But when she saw the newly made cat room, it stunned her into silence. Ella laughed as Circe eventually sprang into action, climbing all over the room, testing the various pillows, and finally stretching out in front of the fire.

_You did this all for me?_ Amber eyes met grey ones for the first time. Ella nodded. _I am most grateful, Ella-cat. I couldn't have asked for a better human._ Ella picked up the kitten and rubbed behind her pointed ears.

"Thank you, Circe. I am most happy with you also. I picked you because you weren't scared of me. Well, not much anyway." Circe didn't open her eyes, but gave a warning growl. "Come on, it's time we went to bed."

Carefully, Ella folded her wardrobe and her school supplies in the top part of the trunk. She looked around the room, making sure everything was where it should be. When she was satisfied, she crawled into bed with Circe, who had already fallen asleep. Ella closed her eyes contentedly. She intended on having a good lie-in tomorrow morning.

oooOooo

Ella arrived at Hogwarts exactly an hour before the Sorting. The Headmaster informed her of the proceedings, and what was expected of her. He asked her to stay in an alcove off to the side until he called on her. Ella had kept Circe on her. Not so much because she was scared for the kitten, but rather for whoever the kitten came across. The half-kneazle was already wary of all humans, but the bobcat half made her a menace to all she considered a threat to her human. Which, at this moment, was everyone. So Circe stayed in the satchel. She kept popping her head out to see what was going on. Ella only pushed her back in when the kitten tried to jump out. And so Ella was treated to a running commentary on how unfair she was being. But Ella paid the kitten no mind, she was more focused on watching the students trickle in and the staff. Eventually, everyone was in their seats and Dumbledore began his speech.

oooOooo

Harry looked up from talking to his friends as Dumbledore started his speech. It was the usual about the Forbidden Forest, and curfew and all that. But he really perked up when the Sorting Hat began its song.

_**In times of old, when I was new,__  
And__Hogwarts__barely started,__  
The founders of our noble school__  
Thought never to be parted.__  
United by a common goal,__  
They had the selfsame yearning__  
To make the world's best magic school__  
And pass along their learning.__  
"Together we will build and teach"__  
The four good__ friends__ decided.__  
And never did they dream that they__  
Might someday be divided.__  
For were there such friends anywhere__  
As__Slytherin__and__Gryffindor__?__  
Unless it was the second pair__  
Unless it was the second pair__  
Of__Hufflepuff__and__Ravenclaw__,__  
So how could it have gone so wrong?__  
How could such friendships fail?__  
Why, I was there, so I can tell__  
The whole sad, sorry tale.__  
Said__Slytherin__, "We'll teach just those__  
Whose ancestry's purest."__  
Said__Ravenclaw__, "We'll teach those whose__  
Intelligence is surest"__  
Said__Gryffindor__, "We'll teach all those__  
With brave deeds to their name."__  
Said__Hufflepuff__, "I'll teach the lot__  
And treat them just the same."__  
These differences caused little strife__  
When first they came to light.__  
For each of the four founders had__  
A house in which they might__  
Take only those they wanted, so,__  
For instance,__Slytherin__  
Took only pure-blood wizards__  
Of great cunning just like him.__  
And only those of sharpest mind__  
Were taught by__Ravenclaw__  
While the bravest and the boldest__  
Went to daring__Gryffindor__.__  
Good__Hufflepuff__, she took the rest__  
and taught them all she knew,__  
Thus, the__Houses__and their founders__  
Maintained friendships firm and true.___

So_Hogwarts__worked in harmony__  
for several happy years,__  
but then discord crept among us__  
feeding on our faults and fears.___

The_Houses__that, like pillars four__  
had once held up our school__  
now turned upon each other and__  
divided, sought to rule.__  
And for a while it seemed the school__  
must meet an early end.__  
what with dueling and with fighting__  
and the clash of friend on friend.__  
And at last there came a morning__  
when old__Slytherin__departed__  
and though the fighting then died out__  
he left us quite downhearted.__  
And never since the founders four__  
were whittled down to three__  
have the__Houses__been united__  
as they once were meant to be.___

And now the Sorting Hat is here_  
and you all know the score:__  
I sort you into__Houses__  
because that is what I'm for.__  
But this year I'll go further,__  
listen closely to my song:__  
though condemned I am to split you__  
still I worry that it's wrong,__  
though I must fulfill my duty__  
and must quarter every year__  
still I wonder whether sorting__  
may not bring the end I fear.__  
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,__  
the warning history shows,__  
for our__Hogwarts__is in danger__  
from external, deadly foes__  
and we must unite inside her__  
or we'll crumble from within__  
I have told you, I have warned you...__  
let the Sorting now begin._**

Hermione was about to fly out of her seat with excitement. Ron asked her what her deal was and she shot him an exasperated look. "Honestly Ron, do you ever pay attention? The Hat has never sung about unity before. I hope people actually paid attention this year." Harry looked around to see everyone's reactions. Only a few Gryff's looked like they had paid attention and were slightly serious. Only a few more Hufflepuffs than Gryffindor. But most of the Ravenclaws and Sytherins seemed to be deep in thought.

Harry shook himself and paid a bit more attention to the Sorting. He clapped when required, and found his attention drifting in between. Finally, all the Firstie's were Sorted and they could get on with the feast. Or so Harry thought.

"I know we are all eager to partake in the Welcome Feast, but I have one or two more matters to address before we do. First, we have a transfer student. Her name is Eleanor Sinclair." The wizard flourished off to the side of the raised platform. A girl walked up the steps and faced the students confidently. A buzz of voices filled the air. Harry vaguely heard Hermione whispering to Ron that "there hasn't been a transfer student since the 70's." But what he was really focused on was the girl. She had slightly curly, slightly wild black hair that cascaded down to her waist, and piercing grey eyes. Harry felt an immediate jolt of attraction, even more so than he'd ever felt with Cho. Even more than that though, was the oddest feeling he _knew_ this girl. Harry shook his head. He'd never seen this girl before.

"She's to be placed in Fifth year. She is more than competent of keeping up with the course work here. Please give her a warm welcome, no matter what House she may be placed in." The Headmaster finished speaking, and the pale girl placed the Sorting Hat on her head. It took a really long time, far longer than even Harry's had taken. Whispers had broken out throughout the Great Hall. Finally, the Hat pronounced loudly, "Better be Slytherin!" Harry felt disappointed the beautiful girl wouldn't be in Gryffindor. Even worse, she was in Slytherin. He shook his head, he wouldn't be talking to this girl, that's for sure. She was beautiful, but so was Astoria Greengrass, and Harry had never considered asking her out.

oooOooo

**Hmm, you are a strange one. I've placed you two times already, why do you insist on coming back again and again?**

_I have my reasons. And you know what House to put me in, so do it already._

**Hasty, aren't we? But is that really the best place for you? Again, Ravenclaw would do you very well, considering your thirst for knowledge.**

_Yes, well, I have other things to focus on right now._

**Yes. You have a great deal of loyalty to a certain Boy-Who-Lived. Perhaps Hufflepuff then?**

Ella was sure the Hat was taunting her now.

_No. And I didn't take you for one that would use ridiculous hyphens._

**You wound me. What about Gryffindor? You are displaying a great deal of courage by taking on this quest. **

Ella was getting frustrated. Thank goodness this was the last time she ever had to deal with this stupid hat.

_No. Now put me into Slytherin._

**You should be nicer to me. I could stick you in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff and you wouldn't be able to do a thing.**

_But you won't. You know how important the Plan is. Unless the song you just sang was a load of-_

"Slytherin!" Ella schooled her face so she wouldn't smirk. She carefully took the Hat off and placed it not so carefully on the stool. The Slytherins were clapping gently. There was no need to be raucous like the Gryffindorks, they thought. They could show approval in a more genteel way. Nearly all the purebloods (which was nearly all of Slytherin) recognized her last name, and were respectful. As long as she wasn't faking it, that is. After all, everyone thought the Sinclair's had been wiped out.

Ella made her way to the Sytherin table. Thankfully, the other Fifth years made room for her to sit down. She sat beside Draco Malfoy and Tracy Davis. Astoria Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson were sitting across from her. She knew of all of them.

But the speeches weren't quite done. Dumbledore welcomed Professors Grubbly-Plank and Umbridge, and then was interrupted as he went on. Ella just clenched her fist as a small, toad like woman took the podium.

**"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

Ella focused on not hexing the woman into next week. She knew what the woman had to say, and it wasn't pretty.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance…"

Ella looked around the Great Hall to see who was actually paying attention to the insipid woman speaking. Hermione Granger was, though she seemed to be the only Gryffindor that was paying attention. No, wait, the Weasley twins were paying attention also, though they made it seem like they weren't. Ella perked up at this realization. Maybe she'd have a chat with those two later. She continued looking around as the woman kept pushing through the stupid speech. Ella made a careful note of all who seemed to understand what the woman was saying.

"Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effective-ness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be pre-served, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."**

And then, finally, they could eat. Ella looked around her table. Her house-mates stared back at her. Ella decided to break the ice.

"Please, call me Ella." It was a general statement, but the brown haired girl next to her replied eagerly.

"I'm Tracy Davis! It's nice to meet you!" Ella smiled gently and reached out her hand. Tracy shook it vigorously and proceeded to introduce all the other in their year. "That's Draco Malfoy, on the other side of you-" Ella shook his hand trying to ignore the pain in her heart. He looked just like his father. "Blaise Zabini is beside Draco-" Blaise gave a curt nod, and turned back to her food. "That's Pansy Parkinson with the black hair-" Ella again offered her hand, but Pansy looked down on it. Ella raised an eyebrow. Clearly her pureblood education was severely lacking. Tracy coughed awkwardly, "And the gorgeous blond by her is-"

"Astoria Greengrass. Pleased to meet you. But call me Tori." Bright blue eyes met Ella's confidently, and firmly shook her hand. Ella smiled.

"Yes, yes. And then one other girl, Millicent Bulstrode." Millie followed Pansy's lead and looked down on Ella's offered hand. Tracy coughed again.

"And then that's Crabbe and Goyle over there stuffing their faces." The two boys didn't even look up. "Well, that's everyone, I believe. Anyway, there are three of us to a room. Pansy, Millie, and Blaise share one. That means you, Tori, and I share the other. We are going to have-"

Tracy was rudely cut off by Pansy. "Tracy!" The poor girl immediately stopped talking, and looked at Pansy confused. "I know you're a half-blood and all-" Tracy looked down at her food and bit her lip. "But even you have to know Sinclair is not a pureblood name. Why are you talking to her? What was that stupid Hat thinking?"

Ella watched with interest at the different reactions to Pansy's little speech. Millie looked on in agreement, but she was the only one. Tracy looked up from her food and started shaking her head. But before anyone could say anything, Ella met Pansy's eyes squarely and spoke for herself.

"Do you always speak before you are sure of what you are saying? Not very Slytherin of you." Pansy gasped and opened her mouth to speak, but Ella kept talking. "If you had learned your lessons properly, even in History of Magic, you would know the truth. The Sinclairs are in fact the most prestigious and powerful purebloods in existence. We can trace our roots all the way back to all the Founders, and are the only family able to claim that. It's true that most of my family was slaughtered over a hundred years ago, but not all of us. I may be the only one left, but if you are so concerned with purity, then I have a much purer bloodline than any person sitting here." Ella calmly looked around, willing someone to disagree with her so she could put them in their place too. But no one disagreed. Satisfied, Ella turned to her food, only pausing again to push Circe back in her satchel. Eventually, conversation started again. Tracy, Tori, and Draco all kept up a polite conversation with her.

Ella settled into her seat. All in all, it could have been worse. She chuckled to herself. She had learned the hard way it could always get worse. She stared at a head full of messy black hair across the hall. She was determined to make life get better here, though. It was about time someone made some changes, and Ella was thrilled she'd be the one to do it.

Circe: SEER-see


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize. It's all JKR's. But anything else is mine.**

_Hogwarts, The Great Hall, September 1, 1883_

Ella looked straight ahead, unlike the other First years swarming around her. They were all looking at the ceiling, at the other students, or at each other. But not her. No, she was focusing on the Sorting Hat. She knew she'd have to go through this process three times, so she was determined to just let the Hat put her where it wanted. She would have to ask for a specific House the next two times, so she'd let the Hat have his fun while it could. She knew she'd be a perfect match for any of the Houses, the Founders had told her so.

She was almost bored as the others were Sorted. Finally it was her turn.

**Well, well, well. What do we have here? A young Mora Malefica, that's what! My, how exciting. And with a heavy burden Fate has placed on your shoulders, too. Wisdom beyond your years, loyal to a fault, cunning to rival Slytherin himself, and courage beyond measure. You have presented me with a conundrum, Miss Sinclair.**

_Please just Sort me already. You already know where you want to put me, you're just stalling for effect._

**Deny me my fun, why don't you? Fine. With your nearly insatiable thirst for knowledge thus far, I will place you in-**

"Ravenclaw!" The Hat shouted. Ella just managed to keep from rolling her eyes. What a stunner! So the only she wouldn't be in is Hufflepuff. She sighed, feeling a pang for the misunderstood Helga Hufflepuff. In fact, the witch had been quite a formidable dueler in her own right. She was also the only one who could talk Gryffindor and Slytherin down from a rage, and the only one able to pull Rowena away from her books for a proper bit of fun. Ella had loved the plump witch very much. Ella would think of a different way to pay homage to the endearing witch.

A few Ravenclaws looked up from their last minute lookovers of summer homework to clap for her. Ella walked to her new House table with a calm confidence even the teachers envied.

oooOooo

Within the first few hours, Ella figured out that she needed to glamour her eyes. Her housemates were understandably creeped out by them, though they couldn't pinpoint exactly why. Her teachers knew exactly why young Ella Sinclair's eyes made them uneasy. They were the eyes of an old soul, and there were only two things that could age a soul like that. One was death and suffering, the other was Time herself. Many teachers were talking in the staff room about what "the poor little thing" had to have gone through to have eye's like that.

So Ella just transfigured her eyes a tiny bit and was done with it. It was harder than a glamour, but it couldn't be undone by anyone except for her. It caused some alarm for the first few weeks, but eventually it passed from everyone's minds. What could not pass from everyone's minds though, was how brilliant this witch actually was.

The Ravenclaws were understandably threatened by her brilliance, the Slytherins jealous, and the Gryffindor's uncaring. What Gryffindor's did care about, however, was their own House and winning the House Cup. And so Ella was shunned by her own house, bullied by Slytherins, and incessantly pranked by Gryffindors. Her saving grace were the Hufflepuffs, who merely ignored her. And for that, she was eternally grateful.

She did learn a few things through all that in her first three years at Hogwarts. She learned that being extraordinary did not mean being extraordinarily popular. In fact, people tended to hate and fight that which they didn't understand. So she also learned to not care what others thought of her. She learned how to stand up for herself. She learned inordinate variations of pranks and how to avoid them. All in all, it made her a very dangerous witch to cross. And that was something she began to teach others her third and final year. She began to not only defend herself, but also to give back as good as she got. For every spell or hex that was sent her way, the sender could expect the exact same one back except with more oomph behind it. She was, after all, a very powerful witch. She learned to watch her back, to always be prepared, and how to avoid a fight. She also learned the ancient art of pranking. Soon, the Gryffindor's were being repaid with every prank they'd ever played on her. And every single one of them knew it and exactly who had played the prank.

By the end of her third year, she could walk wherever she wanted, sleep whenever she wanted, and keep her head held high without a fear of anyone. And she continued to be one of the most brilliant witches Hogwarts had ever seen.

oooOooo

She slinked around Redunski, the caretaker. All he saw was a sleek black cat carrying a rat in her mouth. Ella spat out the grotesque thing as soon as she was around the corner. It was well-known that Animagus' had no taste for freshly killed meat in their forms. She kept up her image though as an ordinary stray cat by carrying around the random vermin in front of Redunski. (It had taken her a good amount of time to learn how to have two Animagus forms. It only worked because they were so similar to each other, just different in size.) As soon as she hit the Forbidden Forrest, she transformed into her larger panther Animagus. And then she ran. And ran. In fact, she ran all night long. It was her preferred method of getting rid of stress and anxiety. Though she was a Mora Malefica, she was still very human. She could reason away almost any emotion, but that didn't mean she did. She was still quite human, but made no attempt to show her classmates that. Subconsciously, they could all feel that she wasn't quite all human. How could she be, when she knew almost everything? When she made deals with forces of Nature? When her power was nearly unlimited? She could become the next Dark Lady and completely conquer all magic folk within a week at most. All at the tender at of thirteen. But she didn't, and never would. It wasn't in her nature.

But she couldn't press down everything. She couldn't hide the pain she felt from rejection. She could not tamp down her innate desire for relationships. She couldn't always ignore it all.

So she ran.

oooOooo

It was her third year when she properly met her first Hogwart's ghost. They had been watching her since she had arrived, and finally decided to talk with the little one. Oddly enough, the Bloody Baron was the one chosen to make first contact. This was, perhaps, because Ella knew the only curse that could make a ghost feel pain. The Bloody Baron was the one who had informed the lot of them of this tidbit of information. He knew of her knowledge of the curse because he had been the one to teach it to her. In fact, all of the ghosts had recognized the pale girl because she had visited them all at some point in their previous lives. They could remember, because they were ghosts. They paid no attention to Time. And they well remembered the formidable witch who relentlessly pursued their knowledge.

And it was in the Bloody Baron that Ella made her first real friend.

She had sensed him float up to her as she worked on an essay in the library. She cast a silent privacy charm and waited for him to speak. The minutes ticked by and he still hadn't spoken. Ella was no fool, she had noticed the ghost giving her a wide berth since she had set foot in Hogwarts. Finally, she spoke.

"Are you regretting that curse you taught me, Waldo?" Ella never looked up from her essay, but a faint grin traced her mouth.

"I daresay I am. Never expected to become a ghost myself, you know." The Baron's voice was a self-deprecating raspy whisper. Nothing like his old voice, Ella mused. The Baron she had known was brash and shouted all the time. It seemed that trait had not followed him into the afterlife.

"Oh, I know quite well how you expected your life to turn out. But surely it pales in comparison to following around teenagers and scaring the living daylight's out of them for centuries?" Ella was trying to bait him. Yet he did not rise to the challenge.

"Actually, it isn't all bad. Wouldn't have chosen it, but I don't mind it. Fate sure is a fickly one though, I'll give her that." The Baron's head popped up through her essay.

"Please, Waldo, do be serious." Ella was secretly amused though. If only Helena could see him now. Ella's tiny smile died. That old friend was gone too, yet her ghost wandered these halls. In fact, she was Ella's house ghost. Yet not once did the Grey Lady approach Ella.

"You know I hate that name, Eleanor. Please, do call me Baron." The Baron had repaid her by calling Ella by her dreaded first name.

"Cut the bull, Baron. What do you want?" Suddenly Ella was in no mood to trade banter anymore.

"What are you doing?" Ella knew exactly what he was asking. Why was she at Hogwarts when she could be ruling the world? What was she doing hiding her vast knowledge when she could be making strides in the wizarding world? Why was she hiding? What was her plan? Would she ever use that curse on the ghosts of Hogwarts? All those and more were loaded in the ghost's question.

"Saving the world." Was Ella's truthful response. And with that, she drew a thin rope of silvery substance from her forehead. She offered it to the Baron, and he touched the substance lightly. Instantly, he was caught up in Ella's memories. After nearly an hour, he withdrew and bowed low before her. Her cheeks instantly colored and she hissed at the prostrate man.

"Get up, you fool. No one will ever bow to me again." The ghost resumed his floating position with a trace of mirth in the vast amount of respect he had for the girl in front of him.

"Of course, m'lady." The Baron merely bent his head in respect in recognition this time. Ella fought the urge to roll her eyes. One day, she'd give into the urge.

"Please don't tell." Ella's eyes were imploring, and the Baron couldn't refuse even if he wanted to.

"Never, m'lady. I am forever at your service." Instantly a pale blue light flashed in between Ella and the Baron. He had just made an Oath.

"Great. Just great, Wally. Not only is there whatever it that was holding you to earth, but now you have just made an Oath to be forever in my service! What were you thinking?" Ella was pacing by now, grateful her privacy charm extended to showing everyone else that she was quietly studying.

"That now I go to the Great Beyond the very moment you do, secure in the knowledge I have done everything to assist you in your quest. You fascinated me before, but now you have entranced me. You are one amazing witch, and you have made yourself a friend for life." The Baron was in earnest.

Ella blushed again. "Fine. I don't think I need your help now, though I might in the future." Ella's eyes glazed over slightly as they always did when she thought of the future and planning. Her eyes suddenly refocused on the Baron. "Will the other ghosts join in an alliance with me if you tell them I am trustworthy?"

The Baron nodded. "They trust me. And now by extension, you." And that was how Ella made her first friend and her first ally.

oooOooo

She didn't expect to make her next ally so soon after the first. It was shortly before final exams, and she was running in the woods to let off steam. And it just so happened that she ran into a centaur. Literally. Both her panther and the centaur reeled back a few steps. She was immediately in a crouch, and the centaur had strung his bow. They stared at each other for a few minutes before Ella made the first move. She rose out of her crouch. The centaur recognized her move as nonthreatening and slowly lowered his bow.

"I was not aware that a panther roamed these woods. You have been stealthy, little one." The black haired centaur noticed an odd aura shimmering around the animal that was now sitting calmly on the ground, tail curled around her body, and licking her paw unconcernedly. Though Magorian noticed that her grey eyes never left his bow.

"You would be in great danger if my herd were to learn that an animal human was roaming these woods. They don't take well to humans." Magorian watched in slight astonishment as the graceful creature quickly transformed into a slight witch. Her wand was no where in sight, so Magorian relaxed and let his bow drop all the way.

The witch examined her fingernails, showing the same unconcern as when she was licking a velvet paw earlier.

"I am in no danger, I assure you. In fact, take me to your herd. I don't like surprises, I can't imagine anyone else liking them either. And if your leader wishes, I will demonstrate my power showing exactly why I am unafraid." Ella stared the centaur directly in the eyes.

Magorian was a young one. He had barely gotten out of his growing years. Everything he had been taught told him to shoot the human and be done with it. But even he couldn't dismiss the large amounts of magical energy coming off of the girl. And besides, he was rather drawn to the witch. And so he did as she asked.

The end result was a cowed centaur herd, an alliance with Magorian and the rest of the centaurs. Ella was quite pleased as she recounted her night to the Baron. He nodded at the right times, secretly being glad he was her ally. He did not envy whoever this Lord Voldemort was. The man would not last a minute against the girl he was slowing starting to view as his family.


End file.
